The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1887-05-05
W no Is tnat WIN tine wnIskersr

" ilo 10 ttittt WITH Tic WuiSkGfS!'
FTwistteton, Q. C.. He has the biggest
practice at the barr
"He looks like boiled owl, I" suggested
his companion.
Drinks, / believe" was the reply.
This was horrible for Twistleton was
follower of Prebendary Falutin, the great
teetotaler.
But certainly Twistleton had dis
sipated look this morning. His eyes were
red, and the lines under his eyes were very
dark and hollow His cheeks were pale
and yellow. Something of the kind, I
fancy, the master of the rolls remarked to
Lord Justice Smugg, who nodded assent.
Twistleton rose to open the case, which
was a very intricate one, and Lord Usher,
according to his constant practice, inter-
rupted him with the regularity of piece
of clockwork every two and half min
utes, and then wondered why he did not
understand the case and shook himself
impatiently. Much to Lord Usher's as
tonishment Twistleton did not deliver any
of those singing retorts by which he was
wont to keep the court of appeal in order
and frighten their iordships into deciding
in his favor. On noticing this, Lord
Usher began to chaff and rally Twistleton
in manner that was the admiration of
the junior bar, the two lords justices and,
not least of all, of the master of the rolls
himself. At length Twistlcton, on expa-
tiating Oh the merits of Buncombe's sew
ing machine, alluded to it as typewriter.
Whereupon Lord Usher said, with q hui
morous leer, that if it had been a question
of typcwriters no doubt Mr.. Twistleton
would have been called as a specialist to
give evidence and would not have been
arguing the case before them. At which
those in the court who knew of Twistleton's
fad Uttered, and his lordsbip's namesakes
who stand about the court put their hands
before their faces and shook visibly for a
moment or two, and then called out
''hushn' and looked angry. But Twistle-
ton lost his temper over this, and asked
his lordShip if his lordship meant to hint
that the court did not want to hear him,
and intimated his intention, If such was
the case, of sitting down. And then the
whole court was really quite silent for n
minute or two, in anticipation of row;
and every one ceased to fiiget, and paid
close attention to Lord Usher, to hear
him, with his blandest and most urbane
of smiles, explaining how it was the great
privilege of that court TO listen to Mr..
Twistleton, and what high valus they
set upon that privilege, and how it was
quite iDconceivablc to him lord Csher)
that he tMr. Twistletom could imagine
for O moment that this court or any other
court should wish him to sit down.
Whereupon Twistleton murmured that his
]ordship was very good, meaning thereby
that he should like to be with his lOrdship
in small room where he could give him
l. fnf1 l., I'll fIo
ed quite regularly, until Twistleton hand
ed Lord Usher a lot of papers to explain
his case; and Lord Usher coming to one,
said, vito knowing side glance at Smugg,
L. j., that, from the handwriting, il must
be note of Mr.. Twistleton's in another
case; as he did not know that any one OF
to this case. And what would have hap.
pened then / don't know; only the court
rose for lunch.
i heard two or three people say that day
that "Twistlcton, poor fellow, was doing
more work than he ought to- that
sIwistletnn was 9. clever fellow. bnt he
could not afford to burn the candle at both
ends" Indeed, Twistleton's strange con.
duct in Buncombe VS.. Badger was the
general topic of conversation in the robina
room.
When Twistleton came out of court
had the greatest difficulty to prevent him
rushing down to Norfolk by the night
train. He was sure it was true; he be.
leved in the message. ! Gained him
down and we had dinner together ut my
club. lie had to continue his speech in
the morning. I tried to coach him in
Buncombe VS.. Badger, but it was of III
avail. / do not think he ever knew for
which side he was appearing.
We agreed that we would sit up 10
watches and SO keep our eye on the type
writer all night. There was sofa in the
recess of the window, and Twistleton sent
me to bed and placed himself on this.
babe him good night, and took his bed
for the first half of the night About z
o'clock in the morning awoke and went
to Twistleton. He was wide awake, read
ing some papers on the sofa.
f'Haye you seen anythings'' 1 asked.
Nothing whatever" he replied.
: ''Nor heard anything?''
"Not a sound. :"
We took the lamp to the typewriter and
opened it. There was the sheet of paper
as he always left it, untouched. Twistle-
ton locked it up again and took the key.
put it under your pillow"
~ will, y he replied; ''it's very good OF
you to sit up like this
'Tt's nothing at all, assure you,"
answered.
Keep strict watch, won't your"
81 promise YOU" l said.
Twistleton shook me by the hand with
emotion and went out he looked very iii
and wretched, thought, and was sorry
for him. Was it u ghosts message, or
what, that was making his life burden
to him? Should 1 solve the mystery to-
night?
/ waited about an hour and half. The
dawn came pecping through the painted
shutters and made the lamp look dim |
was almost dozing-in fact, / had shut
my eyes and lost consciousness for perhaps
minute, perhaps more, A sharp click
ing sound awoke me. 1t was the type
writer. There, seated on a chair i'm front
of it, playing nimbly Onthe queer instru-
ment, was white, misty figure. 1t had
finished. 1t closed the cover down and
turned the key, 1t wheeled around to
the door, and saw the face and whiskers
1 knew SO well; it was Twistleton him
self
My first impulse was to wake him. but
had heard it was dangerous to wake per-
sons walking in their sleep. He wanted
all the sleep he could get, so l decided to
let him alone, to walk down to my own
chambers and get some more rest myself.
When / got out into Old square / could
not help roaring with laughter. 1t was
too funny. The idea of old Twistletan
writing messages to himself on the type
writer and being frightened out of his wits
by them. What a story to tell against
himl No one would believe tit was too
good to be true.
] awoke little late the next morning,
but went straight down to Old square be-
fore breakfast Alas! / was too late.
There was Foss in misery over a hasty
scrawl of Twistleton's He had gone to
Barndore by the early train; Foss was to
make any excuse he though fit to Writson
& Clame. There was the typewriter
shattered into thousand pieces, its intri-
cate machinery shapeless chaos. shud-
dered to think what would happen il there
was anything between Charley Colston
and Mrs. Twistleton.
In town every one was asking what had
become of Twistleton. The rumor went
round the law courts that he was insane.
! maintained discreet silence, Mr. Clame
was almost crying, as SlokOach, murmur-
ing something about "bad news, and his
learned leader, !" rose to continue Twistle-
toms opening. Lord Usher, unrestrained
by the presence of Twistleton, made the
court of appeal place of fiery torment
IN that oy1.iuapf oldoY.ly ir1pior Mr. gIa